What It Is & Why You Need It (at any age)

Social, psychological and medical research has now demonstrated conclusively that there is a direct correlation between the degree to which a person feels connected to others and their physical and mental health. Here are some of the most commonly known effects of NOT feeling a connection to others:

Generally decreased feeling of vitality, less energy and feeling tired more often.

More frequent bouts of sickness, such as colds or flu, and longer recovery times.

Longer recovery times from injury.

Regular feelings of loneliness.

Increased likelihood of depression.

Decreased level of happiness and satisfaction with life in general.

Shorter life spans.

Examples from one day’s media stories – Thursday, August 30, 2007

The toll loneliness takes accumulates with time and goes right down to the cellular level. — University of Chicago

Lonely middle-aged and older people report more chronic stress and lt more helpless and threatened than non-lonely people with the same number of stressful challenges and blood pressure was 16 points higher in lonely people over 65. — Current Directions in Psychological Science

Loneliness is linked to accelerated wear and tear on the body, due to the interruption of restorative sleep. Even college-age lonely people had poorer quality sleep. — Science Daily

Longevity increased by 22 per cent among people 70 and older with a large circle of friends compared to those with the fewest. — Australian Centre for Aging Studies

The weakest immune response to flu vaccine among young people is found in the most isolated and lonely first-year university students. — Journal of Health Psychology

Alzheimer’s disease is twice as likely to develop in lonely people. — Archives of General Psychiatry

Feelings of social isolation are linked to alterations in the activity of genes that control inflammation. The study provides a molecular framework for understanding why social factors are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, viral infections and cancer. — University of California